I recently saw a map of the New York City area as it would be after a sea level rise of 50 feet. Some of the most expensive real estate in America would become an underwater attraction. It reminded me of the revised FEMA flood maps and the importance they can have for current and future home buyers.

If you are planning to purchase or build a new home, it would be wise to look at the revised flood maps to see if the area you are considering will be impacted by changes to local weather which affect all bodies of water. You may have noticed that “the storm of the century” seems to be happening every few years. That little brook in the back of your property could become a raging river after such an event. As such, it is a good time to become oriented with the new “reality” and take actions to mitigate both your exposure and the potential damages from such events. Look soon because bad news early is good news.

During the hour-long session, you will learn how to develop a plan that enables exterior wall systems and materials to work together for the overall health of a house. Learn how proper design and installation of framing, sheathing, insulation, airflow retarders, vapor retarders and siding can minimize, if not eliminate, heat and moisture-related problems and be able to ask me questions

At the conclusion you will know:

What an exterior wall system is and why it’s important for the house and its occupants

The role airflow retarders and vapor diffusion retarders play in controlling the flow of moisture through the exterior wall system

How four kinds of insulation can best perform in an exterior wall system

How four types of framing materials and two forms of sheathing materials can effect the exterior wall system

How window performance is measured and enhanced

The importance of caulking, flashing and gaskets to the exterior wall system

Advantages and disadvantages of seven kinds of sheathing materials as each relates to the exterior wall system

Spring is most certainly in the air. Temperatures are warming, color is popping and the sense of renewal abounds. Those neighbors you haven’t seen since last October are out in their yards again. People are walking, kids are playing, and the sound of hammering fills the air as many folks renew via remodeling. It’s just that time of year.

It’s the remodeling part that gets me most excited, Based on a recent study conducted online by Harris Poll and commissioned by CertainTeed, when asked which one factor is most important to homeowners when completing an exterior home improvement project, 39 percent cited curb appeal, 26 percent cited return on investment, and 21 percent noted impact on outdoor living and lifestyle considerations.

The survey also supports what we at CertainTeed have known for some time, that color is every bit as exciting as it is confusing. In fact, 40 percent of U.S. homeowners admit they are not quite sure which colors would work best on the exterior of their homes. 11 percent admit to being color “clueless” and don’t know where to begin when selecting colors for their home. Having spent a lot of time and energy on color science, this is something we get. We’ve actually built an interactive design center so that homeowners can explore, get inspired and gain confidence in their color selection. The online tool allows users to play around with different design and color combinations of siding, roofing, trim and more. It’s a fun tool to check out even if you’re not in the market for remodeling.

Beyond exterior home improvement projects, however, the Harris Poll survey reveals some telling facts about those out-of-sight, out-of-mind renovations that tend to get brushed over. One in five U.S. house owners (19 percent) give little to no consideration to insulation when planning a kitchen remodel or home addition. Even more – one in four – say the same about drywall. This is interesting because, According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), we Americans spend 90 percent of our time indoors where thermal comfort and air quality matter quite a bit. The good news is by choosing high-performance insulation and formaldehyde-absorbing drywall, homeowners have more control over energy savings and indoor pollutants like mold and VOCs than they may think. It’s always advisable to work with qualified contractors who can speak to these issues and who stock quality brands and products.

While I’m on the topic of home remodeling, video entries are now being accepted for CertainTeed’s annual Living Spaces Home Makeover Contest. It may just help you or someone you know undertake that remodeling project that is so desperately needed. The winner gets a $100,000 grand prize, which includes $75,000 worth of building products, including professional installation and $25,000 to help cover taxes. So get the family together, shoot a fun video and enter to win by May 31. For more information and complete contest details, visit www.CertainTeed.com/DesignCenter.

There’s no doubt that filing taxes can be a daunting challenge, but a refund check from the IRS comes with a lot of exciting possibilities. Pursuing home improvement projects this spring will be a great way to revamp your home after enduring a long, dreary winter. Plus, there are tax credits available that offer financial incentives to make your house energy efficient – giving you even more reason to invest in your home this Tax Day.

According to the ENERGY STAR® program, renovations such as installing quality insulation or adding a solar reflective roof can help save money on utility bills. Pursuing these updates increase the beauty and curb appeal of your home and also enhance its value.

If a reroof is in your future, make sure to choose products that are designed for optimum performance that can withstand the elements. There are various roofing designs, styles and texture options that allow you to create a unique look.

Renovations don’t have to stop at the walls of a residence. In fact, there are many opportunities to develop your home’s outdoor living spaces. New curved railing and gate options offer a decorative design that will accentuate the beauty of a homeowner’s yard while providing complete privacy. By investing in vinyl decking or fence, you can enjoy the warm weather or entertain guests, without having to worry about the hassle of continuous repair.

Last minute filers should keep available tax credits in mind. The Tax Increase Prevention Act of 2014 allows homeowners who upgraded their insulation last year to take a federal tax credit on their 2015 returns. The credit is up to 10 percent of the cost of the insulation with a maximum lifetime credit of $500. For information on other tax credits offered by the IRS, visit www.irs.gov.

CertainTeed is pleased to introduce Building Knowledge insights that are focused on the Canadian market. This is the first of many blogs that we will publish with our Canadian experts.

Canada represents the highest gypsum use per capita in the world and contributes significantly to sustainable habitat. With the implementation of Toronto’s Green Standard (TGS) on January 1, 2014 the game was changed for buildings in Toronto which is the 4th largest city in North America. This Green Standard mandates energy efficiency that will move the needle significantly and make Toronto a leader in sustainability.

TGS is a two-tier set of performance measures with supporting guidelines related to sustainable site and building design for new private and public developments. Tier One is mandatory and requires an increase in energy efficiency by 15 percent. Tier Two, which is voluntary, requires a 25 percent increase in energy efficiency above the Ontario Building Code for Part 3 large buildings which is the highest in North America.

TORONTO (HIGH-RISE CAPITAL OF NORTH AMERICA) WHITE = the project has had preliminary renderings, but no application has been submitted. RED = the project has submitted an application to the city. GREEN = the project has been approved, but has yet to start. YELLOW = the project is currently in sales. BLUE = the project is currently under construction

The challenge is to identify solutions at the pre-design stage. This can be done with various gypsum wallboard products that deliver energy efficiency, improved indoor air quality, better acoustics,mould and moisture control and increased durability with a reasonable percent of window to walls which significantly improves energy efficiency.

With the ultimate goal of providing superior comfort and health for building occupants manufacturers are solving critical interior problems in buildings and homes through new innovative wallboard solutions.

The Sunset Green Home, once a charming 1940s cottage resting five feet above sea level, was damaged by Hurricane Irene in 2011 and decimated by Hurricane Sandy in 2012. In 2015, however, the tide will turn as it will be rebuilt as a sustainable, energy-efficient home registered through the LEED® for Homes Green Building Program. The certification goal is actually LEED Platinum.

Kim Erle, the homeowner, also happens to be a LEED AP. She and her team of architects and designers recently identified CertainTeed as a company with a range of industry-leading products that would work well in her sustainably built home. We are pleased that AirRenew® Essential Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) gypsum board, FortiCel™ Mold Prevention System, SMARTBATT™ with MoistureSense™ Technology batt insulation, GlasRoc® Diamondback® Tile Backer, and CertaSpray® open and closed cell foam were all specified for this project.

These products are bringing Kim and her family peace of mind. She says mold was visibly rampant in the walls and floorboards when the remains of her cottage-style home were demolished. She’s convinced this mold was there before Hurricane Sandy took out the house. Many of the products she has chosen, including ours, are there to help mitigate her mold concerns. The specified FortiCel, for instance, is a protective coating that is sprayed into the wall cavity to help prevent mold growth on structural framing surfaces. SMARTBATT also helps reduce the potential for mold and mildew growth as it comes with a smart vapor retarder that changes its permeability with the ambient humidity condition. This means the wall can essentially breathe when SMARTBATT senses moisture that needs to be released from within the wall. To further improve indoor air quality, the AirRenew wallboard will actually clean the air in Kim’s house by capturing VOCs and converting them into safe, inert compounds that safely remain within the board for up to 75 years.

Her home will be under construction through June, at which time the family hopes to move in for the summer. Check out her blog for updates on the project. It’s a great study on residential LEED design and construction.

During IBS our Meet the Experts sessions gave show attendees the opportunity to get their questions answered. Our MC, Ted Brunson pitches the following question to Kelly Warren, Senior Product Manager, Insulation

Explain what SMARTBATT™ is and the technology behind it?

SMARTBATT is a kraft-faced insulation product that has an integrated vapor retarder in the product. Not only does it protect your home from moisture entering the cavity in the winter but it opens to become vapor permeability in the spring and summer to allow vapor to escape the cavity. It is the best way to avoid moisture and mold from building up within the walls. The product senses the changes in the relative humidity causing the spray-applied coating to change molecular structure allowing the product to open and close and breathe based on ambient temperatures.

It is more important now with the changes in the building codes and the movement toward an air tight envelope. When you get to this level of air tightness it becomes extremely important to manage the moisture vapor in the home.

During IBS our Meet the Experts sessions gave show attendees the opportunity to get their questions answered. Our MC, Ted Brunson (right) pitches the following question to Brand Product Manager – Building Science, Systems & Technical Marketing, Ted Winslow, Insulation

With the Change in Building Codes, how is that impacting the Insulation World?

The focus on green building continues to grow and the building code changes reflect that. More and more questions are coming from consumers regarding what is inside the wall systems and what they can do to make their homes tighter and more efficient. Transparency is very important and in response to that we have created Environmental Product Declarations and Health Product Declarations for our wide array of products for all types of applications. These documents are also needed for LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification which is a standard for identifying more energy efficient buildings. The most critical areas are controlling the acoustics from room to room and managing moisture. Insulation is about the complete comfort of a building.

As building codes continue to change, so do the options for insulating your walls – from fiberglass batts to spray foam to blowing wool and smart vapor retarders. It is important to find the right insulation to improve efficiency in any building.

During IBS our Meet the Experts sessions gave show attendees the opportunity to get their questions answered. Our MC, Ted Brunson(right) pitches the following question to Building Scientist Lucas Hamilton

What is CertainTeed doing to control the way moisture is entering and leaving the home?

We use a variety of different kinds of materials and technique in our products – including passive materials – that can change their properties from being vapor closed to vapor open to address this issue. In a situation when a wall gets wet, the physical materials that make up that wall change and promote the removal of the moisture from that wall to dry it out before biological contaminants can take hold and compromise the indoor air quality.

We have always had moisture intruding in our built assemblies but as we have increased our efforts to conserve energy over the last 40 years we have reduced our tolerance for that moisture and drying potential. If you can pump heat and energy into a wall you can dry it out. But if you bottle up that energy you reduce your tolerance for those intrusions.

The most compelling thing for me in regards to sustainability is seeing the evolution of how people are thinking of sustainability and energy efficiency. It is not just a one-stop solution and it is not about specific products. They want to have a holistic, systems approach to solving problems and want to know and understand how systems will impact the habitat as a whole. For example, if you increase the insulation in a building and make it tighter, how does that impact other things like moisture management? People are starting to realize that no matter how tight or impenetrable you build a building – moisture, for instance, will still potentially find a way in and what will need to be done to resolve the problem?

When you are dealing with a systems approach, each system created will be different depending on the needs for the structure. The possibilities are endless.

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Opinions expressed in CertainTeed's blog and in any corresponding comments are the views and opinions of the original authors, and do not necessarily reflect the views of CertainTeed. All CertainTeed names, copyrights and trademarks are the property of CertainTeed or its licensors in the United States and other countries. Photos, charts, graphics and other information in CertainTeed's blog are not for commercial use.